How to Extend the Life of Your Tires

August 17, 2016

Category:

Gas mileage

According to a 2015 report by the Modern Tire Dealer, we’re
keeping our cars longer. It’s resulting in an increase in replacement tire
sales. It’s a sign that we often just stick our tires on our long-serving
vehicles and forgot about them. Yet the same source indicates we’re going to be
paying more for tires in the future. It may be in our best interest to take
steps to increase the long-term utility of the tires we purchase. Here are some
ways to do it.

Regularly monitor the tire inflation. Most of us only
inflate tires when they don’t pass the eye test for proper inflation. However,
experts like the MIT-trained engineers at Car Talk recommend checking the air
pressure monthly. When tire pressure is too low, more of the surface area
touches the ground when driving, leading to increased friction. This will cause
the tire to wear out faster. The increased friction can lead to overheating
which can be bad for the tire’s integrity or even cause tread separation. If
you hear squealing when you’re turning the wheel, your tire pressure may be too
low.

Tire pressure can be too high as well. High pressure can
give you a bumpy ride and poor traction, the latter outcome being unsafe. The
PSI number printed on your tire is the maximum pressure the tire can handle, so
don’t fill to this amount. You can find your vehicle’s recommended pressure in
the user manual or inside the door of your vehicle. Some cars have tire
pressure monitoring systems that alert you when tire pressure is too low. Don’t
let that light stay on any longer than you would a “check engine” alert.

Rotate your tires. This is simply switching the
position where the tires are already installed, for example, moving the front
tires to the rear position. This helps extend the life of your tires by
changing the points where tires receive pressure. The passenger-side front tire
experiences a different wear pattern than the driver-side rear tire. In rare
cases, you may have a unidirectional tire, which literally means it can only
rotate in one direction, so it must stay on the same side of your vehicle. At Swift Auto, we recommend rotation every
6,000 miles.

Get the wheels aligned. Getting your wheels aligned
regularly can prevent uneven wear on the tires. There’s no generally agreed
upon alignment schedule; you’ll have to judge for yourself when to get it done.
If your car tends to veer to one side when you have the steering wheel pointed
straight ahead, your wheels may be out of alignment. Swift Automotive recommends you get 2
alignments per year.

Watch out for hazards. Driving on rough roads that
haven’t seen much work from your local transportation department can wreak
havoc on your tire tread. Potholes are among the worst road hazards for
damaging tires. Road hazards can also knock out your wheel balance and
alignment, causing more problems for tire life over the long term. If you pass
too close to where workers are building a home or working on a new highway
divide, you might pick up an unwanted passenger like a nail or screw. You then
need to patch the tire, which can also negatively affect tire integrity.

Inclement weather can also be bad for tread life. If you
have to drive through it, there’s little you can do to protect your tires
outside of tire chains for ice or snow. Winter tires are a good solution for
bad weather; however, on dry pavement, the tread for winter tires may suffer.

Low treads aren’t good. All of these problems can
lead to you driving with little tread life left on your tires. This is an
unsafe way to drive. How do you know when to swap out tires? You don’t need a
mechanic to tell you. Take a penny, stick it between the tread ribs, with Abe’s
head facing down. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, it’s time for new
tires.

If you are a careful and observant driver, you can easily
extend the life of your tires. However, it’s safest when in doubt to replace
the worn workhorses with new ones.